This is actually an open question, but for me, after reading Mr. Hillsborough's description of the "Ryoma Fans", it seems this phenomenon is not limited to Ryoma himself. What/why is it that there seems such an attachment to not just Ryoma, but members of the Shinsen-gumi (My sister in law loves Hijikata Toshizou--and Freddy Mercury), and other figures of that time. Is something missing from modern Japan that needs to be re-captured, perhaps?

Vapour

27th March 2003, 02:38

Hmmm, many of the important political figure in early Meiji regime were originally from very poor samurai family who played the central role in the modern Japanese history.

Plus, before they obtained their position in the new meiji government, they were practically outlaws hunted down by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Many of them were, in turn, assassins targeting important political figure. Because usage of guns were heavily restricted, these assasination were done by sword. Ryoma, for example, was one of the best swordman in Japan and he himself was assasinated by yet unidentified sworman. So these are the last period where martial arts were used for real as in life and death situation.